Grodus's pen moved swiftly across the paper, never faltering or making mistakes. Grodus never made mistakes on his paperwork.
After all, he needed to be perfect.
He set his current sheet aside and pulled another from a stack he had placed out of sight, under his desk. The pen once again resumed scribbling furiously, reflecting the poor mood of its owner.
"That Felix…" Grodus grumbled to himself. "How dare he speak to me in such a fashion!? He WILL be made to regret this…"
Grodus had never fully grasped what Felix's deal was. It was true, the two of them had some history together. However, Grodus had no doubt that his own actions at that time had been fully in the right. There was absolutely no way Grodus had been involved in any sort of conspiracy, yet Felix remained steadfastly convinced that he had committed some sort of grave offense and brought it up every time he had an opportunity.
Grodus had attempted to explain this to him on many, many occasions; unfortunately, these discussions consistently gave way to heated screaming matches, mostly fueled by Felix. Felix's justifications for his theory were largely emotional – rather than ever giving Grodus any actual evidence, he would always say things like "There's no way my brother would ever do something like that!" as if they were objective fact. As a result, Grodus wasn't certain if he even could convince him otherwise. No matter what he said, it always appeared to fall on deaf ears. …And, unfortunately, Grodus had always struggled with appealing to the emotions of others.
The world would truly be a better place if all people were purely logical. How unnecessarily difficult!
It had been approximately seven years ago that their conflict had begun. Grodus had been having a relatively ordinary day when he received some very troubling information from an anonymous source. A particular Elite X-Naut had stolen a new prototype weapon from one of the labs and had been attempting to stir up discontent from within a particular social circle. One of his friends had apparently grown concerned with his increasingly erratic behavior.
Naturally, Grodus saw fit to investigate this further. The more he looked, the more oddities he discovered. The man had been leaving the residential area late at night and disappearing to who knows where. Camera footage revealed him often staring disconcertingly into the cameras from different angles. Sometimes he'd pop in and out of the footage – other times, he would appear in the recording from one area and then appear in a completely different area with no connecting footage from the cameras situated between.
Additionally, lab workers had reported that various materials had been disappearing from the laboratories in small quantities. Upon reviewing the full list of stolen substances, Grodus realized that they could be very easily combined to create a bomb. And not just one, either.
He began to realize the severity of the situation.
Finally, after interrogating multiple of this X-Naut's close friends, one cracked and revealed the full extent of what he knew. The Elite X-Naut, named Jack, had been plotting to assassinate Amadeus. Several of his friends were also implicated in the plot. The location of the bombs was revealed, and they were seized. With that, Grodus had all of the evidence he needed.
That night, he took a squadron of Elites and raided Jack's personal suite. Jack was easily thrown to floor and detained. Felix, Jack's little brother, screamed and begged for mercy while the Elites held him back. "Don't hurt my brother!" "Please! This has to be a misunderstanding!" "You're a monster! Why would you do this to us!?" "What are you planning to do with him!? What do you even want with us? Please… please, just leave us alone…" This and many, many more of his cries filled the air as he directly pleaded with Grodus.
Grodus's goal had been set long before he arrived on the scene. There was no reason for him to respond at all to Felix's pathetic display – he was already certain of Jack's guilt. "Imprison this traitor immediately! Confiscate all of his belongings. Take the younger brother in for questioning as well. You will reveal everything to me!"
After many consecutive rounds of intense interrogation, some of which was performed by Grodus himself, Felix was later released. No evidence was found to suggest that he had anything to do with the plot. All information he provided was confirmed by witnesses; all of his alibis were solid.
A day later, Jack and all of his friends except for the one that confessed were executed as traitors. The remaining one was exiled. The night they were arrested was the last time that Felix saw his brother.
Needless to say, Grodus had his reservations about Felix. It was true that he had investigated thoroughly and found no solid reason to suspect him of any wrongdoing. After the incident, Felix had worked hard and completed the training to become a full-fledged Elite. His record was spotless. …But… should somebody with that past and those connections truly be trusted to guard their base? On top of that, Felix was emotionally volatile and, even after all these years, still didn't appear to believe that the assassination plot truly happened. Rather, he repeatedly implied that Grodus, of all people, had to have set up his brother for some godforsaken reason.
When Grodus brought his opinions to Amadeus's attention, the man had merely cackled. "Surely, you jest! That child is no threat to me. He is but a lonely simpleton that seeks little other than validation – all I must do is continue to feed his ego and he will do all that I ask. I will use him well, as I always have."
Father legitimately has no sense of danger, Grodus thought to himself. Sometimes he wondered if Amadeus truly grasped his own mortality. His attitude was incredibly concerning.
Unfortunately, Felix had overheard one particularly heated conversation in which Grodus had loudly and passionately called him the "wretched kin of a worthless schemer". This seemingly only added further fuel to his ever-growing persecution complex.
Finishing up on his last piece of paperwork for the night, the exhausted leader laid his head down on his desk for a quick break and began to mentally run through his plans. He had arranged for paperwork pickup and dropoff for the next few weeks and had delegated out all of his tasks… fortunately, due to the restructuring, there wasn't much of anything left for him to concern himself with. Everything needed to keep the fortress running smoothly should be handled. Additionally, he should have everything packed up that he needed. All of it fit into a single backpack. His trusty scepter sat propped up against the wall, ready for him whenever he needed it.
With those kinds of thoughts muddling through his mind, Grodus slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Dude, Johnson! What the heck did you put in here!?"
They hadn't meant to cause any commotion. They really hadn't.
Well, they'd made it to the teleporter without any problems. They had waved goodbye to a few other passing X-Nauts, regardless of whether they actually knew them, and had crammed onto the platform with Crump's backpack and Johnson's… suitcase. Crump had only packed what he needed, so he was traveling pretty light. Just a toothbrush, a flashlight, a few compact board games, a change of clothes, a water bottle, a little extra spending money for a souvenir or two along the way… things of that sort.
Johnson had decided to bring along this bulbous thing that resembled Santa's bag of gifts and joy more than an actual suitcase, even though that's what he decided to call it. Crump doubted that it contained any gifts or joy, but he decided to withhold those comments.
They had quickly come to realization that, though it was no problem at all to get a bag that large through the teleporter in the base, it was a total pain in the ass to try to force it out of the tiny room that contained the Toad Town region's teleporter.
The room itself had been constructed with utmost secrecy in mind. As a result, it was remote, cramped, and hidden among the greenery of a forest. From the outside, it just looked like an especially elongated boulder that had been wedged into the ground. Within, it contained only a computer and the teleporter itself. There was only really enough space for one person to fit comfortably.
Crump had positioned himself just outside of the entrance and was tugging at the fabric with all his might, while Johnson pressed his body against it and shoved from the inside. However, despite their efforts, they hadn't made any visible progress.
It's a good thing we got here early. If anyone else saw this mess…
Crump had never been out here before, so he really was overjoyed that whoever was in charge transportation had been smart enough to put it somewhere Toad Town residents were unlikely to come. …Well, except for that one Toad that had peeked through the bushes earlier. Maybe he'd heard the commotion? But the guy had run at first sight, so Crump didn't really consider this a problem.
"Hey, are you even TRYING? This should be cake, we can do this!" Johnson gasped from the other side.
"I don't think it's gonna budge like this. We should just unload it right here, take the contents, and then…"
"But that's such a pain."
"What, you mean doing this ISN'T a pain, buh huh?"
"…Good point. Alright, I guess we can do that." Johnson crouched down so he could get a good look at the-
CRASH!
Much to Crump's confusion, the entire bag suddenly heaved forth, cramming itself solidly between the two sides of the doorway.
With the zipper facing down. Against the floor, where nobody could reach it.
"What are you DOING!?" Johnson's enraged scream rang out from inside the apparatus.
Oh, you'd BETTER not be talking to me…
"Johnson, you are SO lucky that you're stuck in there, because if you weren't…" Crump stomped forward, pressing his hands against the bag.
A shrill voice rang out from inside. "I-I-I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, please don't hit me…" it sniffled.
"Oh, you'd BETTER be!" Johnson hollered out.
"Hey man, what the heck is this even doing here? That isn't Peanut's fault, so lay off," a fourth voice commented.
Oh, that's Kip again! "Heeeeey, Kip!"
"Crump! I'd give you a high five if I could see you, but I can't because some jerk's in the way! I'm sending one with my brain though!"
"…Whatever. Still, you really picked a bad time to teleport in," Johnson mused, patting the bag with his palm. Peanut and Kip were now solidly pressed up against his back.
"No joke. Forget earlier, this piece of crap is COMPLETELY stuck now. …Did either of you maybe bring a knife? Something that cuts?" Crump requested.
"N-no…" Sniffle.
"Like my looks do through ladies' hearts?"
"…Yeah, I am so out of here. Johnson, your problem, you figure out. I'm off to wait at the boat."
"No, wait, Crump! One minute, I'm climbing over! Come on, Peanut, Kip!"
"Peanut" had stopped his sniffling by now, but instead had taken to shaking and cowering. "But, won't Sir Grodus be angry when-"
"We'll… tackle that obstacle when it comes, alright? Now come on, start climbing. I'll even give you a boost."
Johnson got down on all fours. Reluctantly, Peanut stepped up onto his shoulders and started scaling the fabric.
Crybaby or not, the little dude could climb. Be it all those years of clinging onto the nearest object in fear or what have you, he had an iron grip that allowed him to crawl across the surface like it was nothing. He carefully padded down the other side, and dropped down next to Crump.
"That's impressive, but also kinda freaky."
"T-thanks," he whispered shyly as he turned his head away.
What, he won't even look at me?
Johnson gave Crump a playful little shove from behind. "So, how was I? Amazing, right?"
"Wasn't watching. Now let's go already, seriously."
After Kip had made his way over and a little more chattering was had by all, the four of them followed the premade path to the shore. Johnson was nearly skipping, his arms jovially swaying at his sides. Peanut trotted to the rear, his head down the entire time. The poor guy looked ready to jump out of his skin at any moment, his entire body tensing at even the slightest noise, and often without any noise at all.
Not much of anything interesting was happening on the path. The entire thing was surrounded by crisp green grass, trees, and the occasional flowers. It was peaceful and soothing. Crump took in the scent of fresh air, his entire body enjoying the change from the stale air of the X-Naut's artificial base. It had been quite a while since he'd gotten to enjoy something like this. Boy, did he love it. The bright blue sky stretched endlessly overhead, and the fluffy white clouds floating through only made it more beautiful.
And the sun felt amazing. The people living on this planet didn't know how lucky they were.
"Ugh, it's so hot," Johnson complained. "How do those Toads stand it?"
"Really? I'm pretty into it," Kip chimed in.
"You're kidding yourself, Johnson. This is awesome! I'd give an arm and a leg to live down here!"
"You do that, Crump-o. …I guess I'm just not really a warm weather kind of guy."
"Your loss."
A short while later, the dear Sir found himself faced with an unexpected and immediate obstacle to his journey.
"What in the name of…?" The words barely dropped out of his mouth as he eyed the massive package that barred his way forward.
"What in the blazes…?" the PhD at his side quizzed.
"Those fools. This has to be their doing."
Unlike those who had arrived before him, Grodus had no intention of wasting time. Armed with his scepter, he formed a barrier around himself and Xaido (just in case) and took aim at the bag. A single blue fireball shot out, igniting the entire thing. As it disintegrated, he used small bouts of ice magic to clear up any stray flames licking around the edges. By the time he was finished, there was nothing left but a lonely coat of ashes.
"I do hope that there was nothing important in that," Xaido sighed.
"That's highly unlikely," Grodus said, brushing the matter off entirely. He nonchalantly stepped out of the teleporter and walked down the path. Xaido trailed along behind him.
"How fast you think this thing can move?"
The four X-Nauts had arrived at a black boat, which was instantly recognizable as theirs due to the emblem engraved into the side. Though they hadn't received any specific instructions to do so, Johnson had insisted on boarding it immediately. Thus, they were already clambering about inside and making themselves comfortable. The boat was reasonably nice – there was a single driver's seat in the front, followed by three rows with two seats each. It felt a bit like they were boarding a bus, just on water.
Naturally, Johnson was messing around in the driver's seat. Crump was standing behind him to make sure he didn't mess with it TOO hard. Thankfully, the key to start the boat wasn't around, but that didn't mean Johnson could be trusted to not improvise. Meanwhile, Kip and Peanut had crawled into the two seats immediately behind them.
It wasn't too long after this that Grodus and Xaido showed up. Grodus observed his unit for a moment before speaking. "Johnson, I see that you're raring to go today. In fact, it appears you may be more enthusiastic about this than I expected. …You're in luck."
Johnson peeked back. "What's that supposed to mean? Do I get something?"
"Indeed, you do." Grodus held a key out towards Johnson. "It appears that you are the only one in this group who has received training on the operation of a boat. Thus, you will be the one guiding us today."
Oh, crud.
Grodus and Xaido took two of the seats in the back. With that, everyone finished loading up inside. Johnson enthusiastically stuck the key in and started it up.
It quickly became clear that Johnson hadn't actually handled a boat in a while. Though he didn't immediately try to gun it like Crump thought he might (thank the stars!), the initial ride was definitely jerkier than desired. After a few abrupt speedups and slowdowns, plus a stop to skim through the contents of a quick start pamphlet that Grodus had produced from his pocket, Johnson quickly got the hang of things. After that, the ride became calm and smooth. Crump gained a smidge of respect for him. It would take a bit less than an hour for them to arrive at their destination.
They rode along in silence for a bit. Crump turned his attention to the sky - seagulls cawed overhead, gliding high above. His view of the shoreline receded behind him. Eventually, it disappeared into the distance.
Observing nature only remained entertaining for a bit.
Crump started looking around at his compatriots, hoping that he could find something to focus in on. It looked like most of the others were zoning out. Grodus, seemingly having thought ahead, was deeply engrossed in a book. Crump considered trying to make conversation about it until he read the title: "Advanced Applications of Quantum Mechanics".
…Actually, maybe I should just take a nap.
He then looked to Xaido to find the man already staring back at him. "I don't believe we've really met," he said from the back seat. "I've heard your name is Crump, right?"
"Yeah, that's it. And you're Xaido, buh huh?"
"Right, that's me! …Wait, there's an idea!" Xaido clapped his hands together. "Several of us here don't really know each other, right? Since we'll all working together, wouldn't it be best to introduce ourselves?" He stopped for a moment to see if the others were paying attention. Kip and Peanut were now peering back. "I don't mind starting, let's go clockwise from me. My name is Xaido! I'm from Archeological Research and Excavation. …But I guess you've already heard that. For my hobbies, I enjoy reading fairy tales from all over the world. It's my dream to travel someday. It's nice to be working with you all!"
Kip and Peanut started clapping. Though less enthusiastically, Crump followed suit.
"Me next, right? I'm Kip! I used to be in one of the patrol units. Uh… I guess I like comic books and pretty girls? Yeah! Hit me up if you wanna talk about either of those."
He then looked to Johnson, who was paying 0% attention to anything happening behind him.
"Yo, Johnson! It's your turn!" Crump called over.
"What, you talking to me? My turn to do what?"
"Introduce yourself, you blockhead!"
"Uh… okay, I guess." He started rattling off an introduction without turning his head. "My name's Johnson and I'm the coolest guy you'll ever meet. I'm into singing in the rain and dunking on haters. I collect hermit crabs as a hobby and dress them up in little hats so I feel less alone. My friends say I'm talented."
"Yeah, that's Johnson over there. …Anyway, Peanut, go ahead." Crump did his best not to let the group linger on that for too long. Even Grodus had finally looked up.
"I… um, I'm Peanut! Nice to meet you…" Peanut looked away.
Good enough, I guess. Crump took that as his own cue. "I'm Crump. I like tinkering with stuff. I'd like to think I'm pretty good at it. …I'm also cool, but not as cool as Johnson. Nice to meet you."
"What kind of stuff?" Xaido asked, curious.
"I built a tiny robot. It doesn't do much besides wave its arms and legs around, but it's kinda cute. …But that's enough about me. Grodus?"
Noticing everyone except Johnson was now staring at him, Grodus sighed and closed his book. "…Though I doubt you truly need me to introduce myself, I am Grodus. I rarely have spare time but do appreciate gaining new knowledge when I can. …I suppose it's simplest to state that my hobby is reading. Most recently, I've developed an interest in quantum mechanics. I'm always looking out for new methods we can use to our advantage. Perhaps for new weapons development, improved transportation, or other such things... "
"Sounds... complicated," Crump responded.
"Very. But I welcome the challenge."
"Quantum? That's like… neutrons and stuff, right? Can you really make a weapon that small?" Kip questioned, appearing interested.
"…If you have an interest in learning more, I know of a few beginner's books that I can recommend to you when we return." Grodus didn't care to dignify that question with an actual explanation.
"Uh… that's okay. That stuff always makes me sleepy."
Their idle chatter continued on like this until a patch of green entered their vision from across the water.
"Land ho, guys! We're going in!"
With those words, they grew ever closer to the first real stop of their mission.